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Opinion | Sex- Trump and Cecile – by Gail Collins – NYT

“Cecile Richards just finished her Planned Parenthood farewell tour. Lots to reminisce about. But let’s start with her famous meeting with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

It was after the election, and Javanka wanted to share their great idea for bridging the gap between Planned Parenthood and the new Republican administration.

“You have to give everybody a chance,” Richards said mildly.The couple proposed that Planned Parenthood simply give up abortion services, and then let Jared lobby Congress for more family planning funding. It was a little like suggesting to Mark Zuckerberg that he could get past his business problems if he dropped the part about being on the internet.

“I guess I was just shocked at how naïve they seemed,” Richards mused in a recent interview.Ivanka, Richards recalled, also felt “I didn’t appreciate” her father’s supportiveness during the presidential debates. Donald Trump did indeed say “millions of women” were helped by Planned Parenthood, before adding that he would defund it anyway “because I’m pro-life.” Details, details.

Richards, 60, has had a long career in organizing and politics. She took over Planned Parenthood 12 years ago when George W. Bush was president. He was a strong abortion opponent, but from her current perch, it definitely seems like the good old days.

“Look, the Bush administration was not friendly to reproductive rights,” she said. “But they weren’t ideologues. They didn’t try to dismantle family planning.””

David Lindsay: Makes you want to laugh and cry. Thank you Gail Collins.

She is brilliant, measured, and empathic. She wants only the best for women–all women (and men). All races, all income levels, all creeds. She wants us to have health care, and choices–whatever choices are best for us, individually.

Ms. Richards, like the employees and volunteers of Planned Parenthood, has a level of courage and selflessness unimaginable to Trump and far right ideologues who self righteously deny people crucial medical services, including family planning.

Support Arpaio, beat up on Richards. Defund Planned Parenthood and also CHIP & SNAP so there’re more babies w/ less support. This regime is not just hypocritical but illogical & unreasonable. I really enjoy donating to Planned Parenthood in Pence’s name – makes it feel as if I’m having fun as well as doing good.

Colorado Republicans briefly defunded program because it was successful, it made sense and saved the state millions, but they miraculously came to their senses and restored funding.

But most lunatic conservatives still can’t stand poor women.

“How shocking Colorado legislators care naught about the health risks for our daughters and granddaughters,” said Leslie Hanks, spokesperson for American Right to Life. “They care not a whit about their physical, emotional, nor spiritual health.”

Yes, Ms. Hanks, if those legislators had showed a deeper and more passionate commitment to forced pregnancies and Christian Shariah Law, America’s poor women would be so much better off.

The #1 cause of unwanted pregnancies and high abortion rates is conservative Christianity and Trumpian politics.

As Michelle Wolf said, Ivanka is “about as helpful to women as an empty box of tampons.”